Stool of elastic sheet material

ABSTRACT

A stool molded from elastically deformable synthetic resin has a generally mushroom-shaped hollow body closed at the top by an upwardly convex seat, the body being internally reinforced by ribs limiting its deformation under the weight of the user. A transverse partition at the waist of the body separates the interior thereof into an upper and a lower compartment, the upper compartment being provided with several small holes enabling the controlled escape of air under the weight of a user taking his seat.

United States Patent [191 3,'2 3o',9 o 9f;-'Z "l /19.66 -Watson 108/150 Ono Nov. 6, 1973 [54] STOOL ()F ELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL 3,312,437 4/1967 Barth 248/l58 [76] Inventor: Taiichi Ono, 88-4-chome,

Blwazlma'qoflg Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Nagoya-sh], Aichi-ken, Japan Atmmey Kafl Ross [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 221,182

[57] ABSTRACT Fm'eign Applicafim Priority Data A stool molded from elastically deformable synthetic I 3, Japan resin has a generally mushroom hap d h ll Feb. I5, 1971 Japan 46/8188 l d t the top by an upwardly convex seat, the body 1 being internally reinforced by ribs limiting its deforma- 52 us. Cl. 297/461, 297/439 under the weight ofthe A transverse partition [51 vInt. Cl A47c 3/00, A470 9/12 at the waist f the body Separates the interior thereof 58], Field of Search.... 297/439, 461,462; into an upper and a lower compartment the upper r v 8 0, compartment being provided with several small holes a f f enabling the controlled escape of air under the weight 1 d snc e of a user taking his seat.

l UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures STOOL OF ELASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Mypresent invention relates to a light-weight stool adapted to be mass-produced, e.g., by injection molding, from elastically deformable synthetic resin or other polymeric sheet material.

The general object of my invention is to provide a stool of this description which is structurally stable yet sufficiently yieldable to have a pleasant cushioning effect without any extraneous padding.

A more particular object is to provide a stool affording comfortable seating even when a user rocks back and forth or otherwise shifts position;

These objects are realized, pursuant to mypresent invention, by the provision of a deformable body of polymeric sheet material forming a column which broadens upwardly into a large rim and downwardly into a large base from a constricted waist, thusgiving restricted passage may be in the form of one or more pinholes provided in the body between the waist and the seat. 1

- The upper and lower body sections may be integral with each other, and with their intervening partition, or may be separately interconnected at that partition, e.g'., by a central bolt traversing the two partition-forming end walls thereof. To prevent relative rotation of these sections in such a case, they are preferably provided with mating peripheral formations suchas teeth or crenellations which may also have a stiffening function.

The above and other features of my invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference'to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational view 7 partly in section, of a stool embodying my invention;

FIG. 2A is a top view of the stool with part of its seat broken away to expose its interior; I

FIG. 2B is a view similar to FIG. 2A of the lower half of the stool shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line III III of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the same stool partly deformed under load; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a modification. i

In FIGS. 1 4 I have shown a stool molded fromthermoplastic material, such as polystyrene or a polyamide having sufficient inherent resiliency to allow for a certain deformation thereof. The stool body is divided into an upper section 1 and a lower section 2, the two sections being of relatively inverted bell-shape so as to define a figure of revolution in the general form of a onesheet hyperboloid centered on a vertical axis. The upper section 1 is closed at its bottom by an end wall 1a defining a transverse partition with an adjoining wall 2a of lower section 2; the two walls are interconnected 9 a column broadening upwardly into an enlarged rim by a central bolt 4 and a wing nut 5 bearing upon a washer 6. I

Body section 1 is formed with a series of peripherally equispaced radial ribs 1b in the'vicinity of a rim 1: thereof which nests in a peripheral flange 3b of a cover 3 of like plastic material forming a domed seat surface 3a. Between cover 3 and end wall 1a there is confined an air volume V communicating with the outer atmosphere through one or more restricted apertures 1h. At the constricted waist of the body, i.e., in the region of partition la, 2a, section 1 is formed with a multiplicity of inwardly projecting and outwardly recessed teeth 10 accommodating complementary crenellations 2c of section 2. The two body sections are thereby held against relative rotation even if nut 5 should not be tightened sufficiently to prevent such movement. The lower end of section 2 also forms a flange 2e which constitutes a circular base whose diameter,-for the sake of stability, should equal or exceed that'of seat 3. The base 2e is also reinforced by a set of internal peripheral ribs 2b which, as shown in FIG.2A, are an'gularly interleaved with the ribs 1b at the top. Other reinforcing ribs 2g of body section 2 hear from below upon the end wall 2a thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a force F eccentrically exerted by a user upon the seat 3 may deform the latter The deflection ofthe seat is cushioned by the slow escape of air from the compartment V through aperture or apertures 1h. When the stool is vacated, air returns to its interior'to restore its original. shape.

' In FIG. 5 I have shown a slightly modified stool of the same general construction with a unitarybody 1' divided into upper andlower compartments by an integral transverse partition la, thereby defining an air space V"'betwee n the upper compartment and a cover 3 which engages a rim. le'of the body and forms an up wardly convex seating surface 3a. Ribs lb at the top and 25' at the bottom again resist excessive deformation. One or more pinholes 1h above partition la enable the throttledescape of air from space V when a user first puts his weight on'the seat. As in the preceding embodiment, the base 2e has a diameter somewhat greater than that of seat 3'.

I claim:

1. Astool comprising a tubularbody of elastically deformable polymeric sheet material, said body forming and downwardly into an enlarged base from a constricted waist, partition means at said waist dividing the interior of said body into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, and a seat on said rim closing said upper compartment, said body being formed with internal radial ribs in at least said upper compartment resisting deformation of said body under the weight of a user occupying said seat, said body being further provided with at least one restricted passage spaced from said rim enabling a throttled escape of air from said upper 4. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said body has the general configuration of a one-sheet hyperboloid centered on a vertical axis, said passage being a pinhole formed in the hyperboloidal wall of said body above said waist.

5. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is split into two stacked sections at said waist.

6. A stool as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition means comprises a pair of abutting horizontal end walls of said sections.

7. A stool as defined in claim 6, further comprising fastening means traversing said end walls for holding said sections together.

8. A stool as defined in claim 7 wherein said fastening means comprises a central bolt, said sections being provided with mating peripheral formations preventing relative rotation thereof about said bolt.

9. -A stool as defined in claim 8 wherein said formations include inwardly projecting, outwardly recessed teeth on said upper section and complementary crenellations on said lower section.

10. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said base has a diameter at least equal to that of said rim. 

1. A stool comprising a tubular body of elastically deformable polymeric sheet material, said body forming a column broadening upwardly into an enlarged rim and downwardly into an enlarged base from a constricted waist, partition means at said waist dividing the interior of said body into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, and a seat on said rim closing said upper compartment, said body being formed with internal radial ribs in at least said upper compartment resisting deformation of said body under the weight of a user occupying said seat, said body being further provided with at least one restricted passage spaced from said rim enabling a throttled escape of air from said upper compartment upon such deformation.
 2. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said seat comprises an upwardly convex cover for said upper compartment spacedly overlying the ribs thereof.
 3. A stool as defined in claim 2 wherein said cover and said rim are formed with mutually interfitting peripheral flanges.
 4. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said body has the general configuration of a one-sheet hyperboloid cenTered on a vertical axis, said passage being a pinhole formed in the hyperboloidal wall of said body above said waist.
 5. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said body is split into two stacked sections at said waist.
 6. A stool as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition means comprises a pair of abutting horizontal end walls of said sections.
 7. A stool as defined in claim 6, further comprising fastening means traversing said end walls for holding said sections together.
 8. A stool as defined in claim 7 wherein said fastening means comprises a central bolt, said sections being provided with mating peripheral formations preventing relative rotation thereof about said bolt.
 9. A stool as defined in claim 8 wherein said formations include inwardly projecting, outwardly recessed teeth on said upper section and complementary crenellations on said lower section.
 10. A stool as defined in claim 1 wherein said base has a diameter at least equal to that of said rim. 